1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fastening devices. Particularly, the present invention relates to a cable tie device and more particularly to a floating cable tie device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cable ties (e.g., illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,509 to McCormick, 1977) are the predominate fastener used for securing various components such as cables, wires, tooling, hoses, radiation shielding, barriers, and the like. These components are some that are located within a foreign material exclusion zone (FMEZ) at Nuclear Power Stations. Within the FMEZ there are open systems and components which include the reactor cavity, refueling pool, and reactor vessel. These open systems or components contain water up to 90 feet deep with intricate components beneath. It is important to prevent introduction of any foreign materials into the open systems, including cable ties.
Although cable ties are excellent fasteners they do occasionally break, snap, or become unfastened. Breakage occurs because cable ties are typically made of plastic, which becomes brittle over time due to plasticizer leaching out of the plastic. Cable ties that have a specific gravity greater than one will sink in water.
Finding and retrieving a cable tie from open systems at nuclear power stations or other sites is time consuming, expensive, and may require taking a plant off-line. Searches for lost cable ties include visual inspections with underwater telescopes or remotely-controlled miniature submarines (mini-subs). Once the cable tie is located, retrieving the cable tie may require using mini-subs with claws, long-handled tooling with claws, or underwater vacuums. This entire process consumes several man hours and may cost thousands of dollars. Also, when lost cable ties are located in a radiation field, the search and retrieval process exposes plant workers to additional radiation, which is heavily regulated and scrutinized by regulatory commissions.
When the cable tie is declared lost at a nuclear facility, the particular section of the power station is taken off line and an engineering assessment is performed to determine whether any detrimental effects will occur if the cable tie remains in the plant systems. This assessment requires several additional man hours and can cost thousands of dollars in engineering costs. These costs do not include the costs involved with delaying the power station from coming back on line to produce electricity.
One invention that addresses this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,522 issued in 1997 to Moreau. The '522 patent discloses a cable tie flotation device for making a cable tie buoyant. The flotation device has a volume of resilient, easily deformable material with an opening therethrough. The deformable material has a specific gravity of less than one and, when added to the cable tie, is sufficiently buoyant to keep the cable tie afloat in a liquid medium. The flotation device, however, must be added to a cable tie by deforming the device and slipping it over the tip of the elongated strap of the cable tie. The flotation device must then be positioned proximate the head of the cable tie to make the cable tie operable.